The present invention relates to camping apparatus for assembly to vehicles of the van-type body.
Camping, as a recreational pastime, is undergoing an extensive expansion as more and more people utilize the national park system and public and private camp sites which are found in numerous recreational areas around the country. As the propensity for camping has increased, so has the number, design and function of the vehicles people utilize in their camping trips. The so-called camping recreational vehicle has been developed to the point where it is literally an extension of one's home incorporating many of the conveniences found therein. Van-type vehicles are also finding extensive use in camping in that they are capable of additionally serving the function of being an all-around, multi-purpose family or commercial vehicle. In other words, the van-type vehicle utilized in camping may also be used as a primary or secondary car in a family as well as finding extensive use in commercial applications.
This expanded use has prompted many designers and individuals to outfit the van with various ammenities which one would find convenient on a camping trip. For instance, storage cabinets, a dressing or eating table, awnings and other ammenities have been found quite convenient to carry along on a trip. The major drawback to the van, as opposed to the larger, more elaborately outfitted vehicle, is the rather limited space available in the interior of the van for storing these ammenities. There just is not enough room for free standing cabinets, separate table and the like, in the van while, at the same time, permitting occupants a certain degree of movement. Therefore, it has been found convenient to transport certain ammenities, such as a table, a bed, the cabinets and the awning in an unassembled state, in a condition wherein they can be stored in a relatively small space; assembly of these ammenities takes place outside the vehicle at the camp site. The present invention is directed toward just such assemblage which is affixed to the side panel of the vehicle, connected to the roof rain gutter and the lower body part. A table suitable for eating, dressing or any other purpose, cabinets and an awning are among the ammenities that are capable of being fixed to the skeletal support structure. The instant invention provides an assemblage which is quite easily affixed to the vehicle and which provides many of the ammenities that are so necessary in camping excursions.